Article burnishing machine



March 27, 1956 c. c. KINKER ET AL ARTICLE BURNISHING MACHINE 5Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 20, 1955 SWW/MM5 C/aren C /n/er James JMaffay/7 March 27, 1956 c. c. KINKER ET AL ARTICLE BURNISHING MACHINE 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1953 SWW/wim Cyn/*ence C /f/b/rer dames d.Maffay/7 Gnome@ March 27, 1956 c. c. KINKER ET AL ARTICLE BURNISHINGMACHINE Filed May 20, 1953 animan,

March 27, 1956 c, c. KINKER ET AL ARTICLE BURNISHING MACHINE 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 20, 1953 LIU.

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ARTICLE BURNISHING MACHINE Filed May 20, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 UnitedStates Patent Q narran uUnNrsrnNo MACHINE Clarence C. Klinker, ManitouBeach, Mich., and lames l. Murtagh, Toledo, Ohio, assignors toGerity-lt/l'ichigan Corporation, Adrian, Mich., a corporation orMichigan Application May 20, 1953, Serial No. 356,292

9 Claims. (Cl. 51-133} This invention relates to machines and a methodfor buliing, burnishing and polishing metal articles to iinprove thesurface finish either in preparation for the application of protectivecoatings thereto or for use directly as taken from the machine. Theinvention is directed particularly to improvements of the inventionclaimed in our Reissue Patent 23,715, dated September 29, 1953.

While the machine of said patent is highly eiicient in its operation onrelatively small articles, it is dicult to use it for the treatment oflong articles such as automobile bumpers because of the large tankdiameter required. lt is, therefore, the primary purpose of the presentinvention to provide a machine of this character wherein the operationsof buii'ing, burnishing and polishing are performed in a straight linemovement of the article, thus enabling elongated articles ofconsiderable length to be processed in a rapid, eiiicient and economicalmanner.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine of thischaracter, of an endless type of flexible buiiing or polishing head foracting on the work while the work is in contact with the abrasive of aburnishing liquid, and which preferably comprises a plurality ofresilient belt sections operating side by side so that the workcontacting surfaces thereof may accommodate themselves more perfectly tothe contours of the work acted on. In other words, the several sectionsmay separately ride higher or lower over the work to suit the surfaceconfiguration thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision in combination with amultiple section builing or polishing belt of the character described,of means for causing the liquid suspended abrasive materials to be drawnfrom one or both side edges of the belt and distributed over the entiresurface of the work-piece being acted on. In this manner the abrasive isprevented from settling out in an inactive portion of the tank in whichthe liquid suspension is contained.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved method ofburnishing, butling or polishingthe surface of formed metal articles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, and from the accompanying drawingsillustrating one embodiment ot' the invention, and in which- Fig. l is aplan view of the machine taken as indicated by arrows l in Fig. 2, withparts broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional and elevation of the machine taken onthe line 2 2 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one of the sectionalhurling or polishing belts employed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 4 4 in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional side ele' vation ori-theline 5 5 in Fig. 1, k'with parts broken-away;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side edge view of a work-carrying thereto.

plate removed from the conveyor, with parts broken away and with awork-piece shown in dotted lines as mounted thereon;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the conveyor chainaxially of a pivot member thereof, as on the line 7 7 in Fig. 5, withparts in full;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8 8 in Fig. l2;

Fig'. 9 is an enlarged plan view taken on the line 9 9 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section on the line 10a-10 in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section taken on the line 11 11 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, l designates an elongated table that ismounted in transversely inclined position on a sub-structure 2, theinclination to a horizontal being approximately 20 in the presentinstance. An endless conveyor chain 3 for carrying the articles orworkpieces to be burnished is mounted for travel over the top surface ofthe table and has front and rear transversely spaced end-connectedrunways at different elevations due to the inclination of the table.

The front or lower run of the conveyor is through a burnishingcompartment 4 containing a liquid suspension of an abrasive material 5in which the conveyor and carried work-pieces are at least partiallysubmerged and wherein the burnishing 'operation takes place, ashereinafter described. 'The compartment 4 is formed at its bottom by thetable l, at front and back by the side walls 6 and 7, respectively, andhas open ends il and a top 9. At each end of the compartment 4 is anopen-top extension lll that is open to the compartment and is angled tofollow for a distance the conveyor run at each end to a point above thenormal level of the burnishing liquid. The upper run of the conveyor Aisthrough a channel ll formed by the table l and by front and rear wallsl2 and i3, respectively, and at the center of this channel, lengthwisethereof, is through a tunnel portion 14 in which washing of theburnished work-pieces takes place. ri`he wall l2 is shallow and formed,in the present instance, by a ilange of an angle bar. The removal of theburnished articles from the conveyor and the replacement by others takeplace after the articles pass from the washing tunnel 14, which, in thepresent instance, is at the left of the compartment.

The conveyor 3, in the present instance, comprises successivealternating pairs of vertically spaced links 16 and 17, with thesuccessive pairs connected at their ends by pivot bolts 18 (Figs. 5 and7). The bolt 18 shoulders against the spaced links 16 of each pair tohold the links axially spaced and has at its lower end a clamping nut i9and at its upper end a stud nut Ztl. A sleevev2l is mounted on each boltl@ in end abutment with the respective links lo, and its ends arereduced a short distance to form spaced bearings for an associated pairof links 17 at the adjacent ends thereof, as best shown in Fig. 7. Agasket 22 is mounted on each end of the sleeve between the adjacentlinks 16 and 17 and serves to seal and protect the link joints from theabrasive action of the burnishing liquid. The axes of all of theconveyor bolts 18 are normal to the inclined surface of the table l, andthere is, therefore, no tilting of the pivot bolts relative to the linksas they traverse the course.

The conveyor chain 3 is guided in its course by corner sprocket wheels2S disposed in pairs at eachl end of the table between the front andrear runways, and also by smaller idler wheels 26 in said runways. TheseWheels are mounted on studs 2.7 rising from the table l normal ln thelower or front run, the idler wheelsv26 alternate at opposite sides of`the conveyor, thus tending to cause the conveyor to maintain a setcourse, and particularly to prevent lateral deflection thereof in itspassage through the burnishing compartment 9.

The guide wheels 25 and Z6 are preferably in the form of sprocketwheels, being provided in their peripheries with notches 23 whichreceive the pivot sleeves 21 of the conveyor intermediate the links 17of each pair as the conveyor traverses its course.

The present drive for the conveyor is from a motor 30 through a belt toa variable speed drive designated generally 31 (Fig. 2) and thence fromthe shaft of said pulley through a speed reduction unit 32 to a shaft33. This shaft extends up through a bearing 34 in the table l and has apinion 35 at its upper end in driving mesh with an internal gear 36(Figs. 2 and 4) on the under side of one of the guide wheels 25, theupper left hand one in the present instance. The motor Sil is mounted ina guide 37 to permit adjusting movements thereof to tighten the belt,and adjustment is effected by turning a hand wheel 3S the shaft of whichis threaded in the motor base.

The conveyor chain 3 carries on its top edge a plurality of successivelypositioned work-carrying plates 40 on which work-pieces A to beburnished are mounted and securely held in any suitable fixture or byedge clamps 41 (Fig. 6). These carriers may be of any desired size andshape to suit the size and shape of the work-piece to be carried therebyand each is provided on its under side with downwardly projecting studs42 and 43 adjacent to respective opposite ends thereof, the stud 42having a socket 44 therein of slot-like form lengthwise of the carrierplate 40 While the stud 43 has a pivot socket 45 therein. The sockets 44and 45 are normal to the plane of the plate 4t) and each is adapted toreceive a registering stud of the conveyor. The spacing of the socketstuds 42 and 43 depends on the length of the carrying plate 40 and alsothe spacing of the conveyor studs 20 on which the respective sockets aremounted. If the carriers 40 are short, the sockets may engage over thestuds 20 at opposite ends of a single pair of links 16, and if ofgreater length so that the carrier plate spans a number of links, thesocket studs may be so positioned as to engage studs which are spacedone or more links apart lengthwise of the conveyor. The transverselyelongated socket 44 permits movement of an engaged stud thereinlengthwise of the plate so as to compensate for dilterential movementsof the sockets and studs that occur when the associated conveyor linksare passing from one straight runway to the other of the course and alsoto prevent binding of the studs in the sockets. The studs Ztl, whilehaving free pivotal movements in the respective sockets 44 and 45, serveto brace the carrier plates against lateral tilting movements relativeto the conveyor. Tilting of the carrier plates 40 in their passagethrough the burnishing compartment 4 is further prevented by a series ofside edge supporting rolls 47 mounted on the bottom of such compartment,as shown in Fig. 2.

The burnishing compartment 4 may have one or more burnishing units Btherein spaced lengthwise of the conveyor belt so as to perform separateburnishing operations on the Work-pieces as they are moved through saidcompartment by the conveyor. In the present instance, two of these unitsare shown, and inasmuch as they are duplicates, so far as generalconstruction and operation are concerned, only one will be described. Inpractice, successive burnishing units are moved in opposite directions,one clockwise and the following one counterclockwise so that the work,as it is moved slowly beneath the belts, is acted upon in such a mannerthat all surfaces are completely burnished. lf only a single belt wereused, it would be possible for a projection, for example, to shield thesurface immediately behind it to such an extent that the shielded areawould be imperfectly burnished.

The burnishing heads, in the present instance, are disposed at oppositesides of a transverse center line through the machine, and each includesan endless burnishing belt 50 which is guided for movements lengthwiseof the associated conveyor run by spaced drum-like pulleys 51, one ofwhich is mounted on a stub shaft 52, while the other is mounted on adrive shaft 53. Both project forward from a beam-like vframe structure54 (Figs. l, 2 and 5). The burnishing belt 50 preferably comprises aplurality of sections disposed side by side as shown in Fig. 3, and eachsection is provided on its outer surface with a multiplicity of abradingprojections 5S which, during their lower run with the belt, engage thetop surface of the workpieces A as they pass thereunder with theconveyor while the work is submerged in the burnishing liquid 5, asshown in Fig. 5. The continuity of the projections 55 on the beltsections is interrupted at intervals by diagonally disposed ribs 56thereon disposed to direct the burnishing liquid transversely toward thecentral portion of the belt. The burnishing liquid is thus distributedsubstantially uniforrnly to all portions of the exposed work surface. Byestablishing a ow of burnishing liquid from the sides toward the centerof the burnishing compartment 4 the suspended abrasive material is keptfrom settling out. The belt sections are of rubber or other suitablepliable material, and the projections 5S are suiciently stiff to apply arubbing action of the abrasive material against the surface of the workand to reach crevices thereof, and the degree of flexibility may bechanged by altering the length and cross section of the ngers to alterthe force of the rubbing action.

The frame structure 54, which is of hollow beamlike form, is mounted fortransverse rocking movements on a shaft 57 that is mounted at itsopposite ends in respective slide-bars S8, which, in turn, are mountedin and guided for longitudinal reciprocatory movements in a plane normalto the table 1 by stationary uprights 59 that rise from the sub-framestructure 2 and extend upward, through and above the table 1. It is thusapparent that a rocking of the frame structure 54 on the shaft 57 willeffect a corresponding transverse rocking of the burnishing belt Si) andits pulleys 51. This rocking action enables the burnishing surface ofthe belt to be transversely adjusted relative to the conveyor and workcarried thereby to suit the surface coniiguration of the work. Theslide-bars S8 are retained in their respective guideways by cross-pieces59a.

The frame 54 has a pair of longitudinally spaced bracket arms 60projecting rearwardly and upwardly therefrom and connected at theirupper ends to form a supporting bracket for a motor 61. The drive shaft53 has bearings in and projects rearwardly through the beam 54 betweenthe two arms 69 and carries a pulley 62 that is connected by a belt 63to the motor drive pulley 64. The belt 63 also passes around an idlerpulley 65 that is mounted on a stud projecting rearwardly from themember 54, and which may be adjustable in a conventional manner for belttightening.

For the purpose of obtaining a rocking adjustment of the frame member 54and parts carried thereby, one of. the bracket arms 60 is pivotallyconnected at 66 (Figs. 2 and 1l) to the lower end of a link 67 thatextends up at one side of the motor 61 and is pivotally connected at itsupper end to one arm of a bell-crank lever 68. This lever is pivoted at69 to the upper end portion of the adjacent slide-bar 58. The lever 68,in the present instance, is composed of two transversely spacedduplicate parts (Fig. 9) between which the bar 58 is received and whichalso receive the upper end of the link 67 therebetween. The other orupwardly extending arrn of the lever 68 has a nut member 70 pivotallymounted between its two side members, and the threaded Stem 71 of acontrol wheel 72 is threaded through this nut. The inner end of the stem71 adjacent to the control wheel is provided with a sleeve 73 in whichit turns, and this sleeve is pivotally mounted for vertical rockingmovements between a pair of fork arms 74 on the upper end of the righthand slide-bar 58. It is thus apparent that a turning of the controlwheel 72 will impart a rocking movement to the lever 68, which movementin turn will be transmitted through the link 67 to the bracket arm 60and frame member 54, thereby effecting a corresponding rocking of theshafts 52 and 53, the belt carrying pulleys 51 and the belt 50 mountedthereon. The positioning of the motor 6l at the opposite side of theframe rocking axis 57 to the burnishing means serves as a counterbalancefor the frame.

The two slide-bars 58 are each provided on their forward edges neartheir upper end portions with a series of rack teeth 73 with each ofwhich a pinion 79 on a crossshaft Si) meshes (Figs. 2, 5 and 8). A wormwheel 81 (Fig. 8) is mounted in a case 82 on the outer end of the shaftSe and is engaged by a worm 83, the shaft 84 of which carries a controlwheel 85. The case 82 is attached to the upper end of the right handframe upright 59.

lt is apparent that a burnishing unit, which includes the pulleys 5lcarrying the burnishing belt Si), the two slide-bars 58, frame members54 and motor 6l, is adjustable to raise and lower the belt to suit itsposition to the work to be operated on by simply turning the hand wheelS5, which effects a turning of the pinions 79. Thus the pressure exertedby the belt against the work may be varied in this manner as well as bychanging the stillness of the projecting lingers. ln most instances itwill be desirable to leave the center portion of the active run of thebelt unsupported between the pulleys so that more perfect accommodationof the contour of the belt to the contour of the work will result.However, a backing plate may be provided for the lower belt run, ifdesired.

Each upright 59 is rearwardly braced by a frame member 33 which extendsrearwardly and downwardly and attaches at its lower end to a respectiveframe bar S9 rising from the sub-frame structure 2 in advance of thespray tunnel lil (Figs. l and 2).

The tunnel la is provided interiorly with pipes 95 extending from asuitable source of water pressure supply, and these pipes, in thepresent instance, are perforated or provided with a series of nozzlesfor directing spray streams therefrom onto the workpieces A as they traerse the tunnel with the conveyor. Obviously the water supply may betaken from a source of treated water if desired, to promote wetting andcleaning of the burnished pieces.

The drippings from the conveyor, which may carry suspended abrasiveparticles, after passing from the lower right hand end of the runway tothe elevated portion 11, are returned to the liquid in the runway 1lb byflowing down the inclined bottom surface of the runway portion ll, suchaction being assisted by the tapered wall or liange l?. at the inneredge of the portion 11 and which is disposed at the rear of the entranceend of the tunnel. The wall or ange l2 in advance of the rear edge ofthe tunnel l@ in the direction of movement of the conveyor is inclinedin opposite directions to a discharge opening 915 in the bottom of therunway 11 so as to direct the washing spray drippings from the tunnel 14and from the work after leaving the tunnel toward such opening. Theliquid discharging through the opening 96 is directed into a sump tank97 beneath the central rear elevated portion of the floor l. The rearedge of the opening 96 is provided with a directing flange 9S and theforward edge of the opening is provided with a barrier llange 99 andthese ilanges cooperate to direct the discharge water into the sumpchamber 97 rearwardly of a weir 10G which divides the chamber into asettling compartment and a clear water compartment. A drainage pipe lillleads from the upper portion of the clear water compartment to anysuitable source of disposal.

in the operation of the machine, articles to be burnished are mounted onthe conveyor plates 4l) at the upper left hand portion of its run, orforward of the spray tunnel lll, and thence pass with the conveyorforwardly and downwardly into the lower liquid containing compartment 4and under the successive burnishing belts 50, which act on thework-pieces to impart the desired burnishing operation thereto whilesubmerged in the liquid. The compartment e is previously filled with aliquid (preferably water) suspension of suitable abrasive materialdepending on the metal to be burnished, the character of the finishdesired and other factors. Finely divided alumina and silica abrasivesmixed with cork flour and cork granules have been found suitable, andsurface tension reducing agents Amay be added to promote wetting. In theappended claims, the suspension of abrasive and other materials isyreferred to as a burnishing liquid. The llexible rubber projections 55on the belt 50 conform to the irregular shape of the work and reach intocrevices thereof during the burnishing operation. The sectional featureof the burnishing belt also assists in adapting the belt to irregularshapes of the work, inasmuch as the separate belt sections are permittedto independently rise and fall in accordance with the work contour overwhich they pass. The belt 50 is raised and lowered to suit the height ofthe work being acted on by adjustment of the hand wheel which causes aturning of the shaft Sil and pinions 79 in mesh with the respective rackteeth 78 of the two slide-bars 58 that are located at opposite sides ofthe burnishing unit. The belt may also be adjusted to suit thetransverse configuration of the work-pieces so that it may either engagesubstantially flat against the top of a flat piece of work or engagealong one side edge or the other thereof, or may be made to engage allat but slanting work piece. The tilting adjustment of the belt 50 forthis purpose is accomplished by an adjustment of the hand wheel 72 whichturns the screw 7l in engagement with one arm of the lever 68 andeffects a raising or lowering of the link 67. The movement of this linkis in turn imparted to the motor 6l, rocker frame 54 and drums 5lcarrying the belt Sil. lt is thus apparent that by adjustment of eitheror both of the hand wheels 72 and 85, the burnishing surfaces of thebelts Sil may be raised and lowered or transversely rocked with respectto the work so as to have the desired burnishing engagement therewith,and the two belts may be set at different angles to engage differentsides of an angular workpiece. The movement of the conveyor is slow andpreferably substantially continuous during a burnishing action so thatthe work-pieces are slowly moved under the successive belts Slilengthwise thereof while immersed in the liquid abrasive. The belts 5t)are preferably moved in opposite directions with respect to thedirection of movement of the work, so that the piece is engaged first bythe multiplicity of lingers moving in one direction and later in theother and all surfaces thereof are given an equal burnishing treatment.

After the burnishing operation, the work-pieces leave the liquid at theright end of the lower runway, travel up the incline at such end andenter the upper runway l1. In this movement, the abrasive liquid drainsfrom the work and conveyor and flows back into the lower abrasivecontaining compartment 4. In the upper run the work is carried throughthe spray tunnel 14 and washed of any clinging burnishing material andthen passes to the left of the tunnel in position to be removed from theconveyor and another work-piece substituted therefor.

We wish it understood that our invention is not lirnited to any specificconstruction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ofnumerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit ofthe claims.

What we claim is:

l. ln a machine of the class described, a burnishing compartment, aburnishing liquid in said compartment, means for moving articles to beburnished through said compartment in submerged relation to said liquid,a rockable frame, means mounting said frame for said rocking movement,burnishing means carried by said frame and adapted to have frictionalengagement with the articles when moving through said liquid, meanscarried by the frame for driving said burnishing means to haveburnishing movements lengthwise of the movement of said first means,means connected to said frame and operable to impart predeterminedrocking movements thereto, and means operable to adjust said framemounting means to raise and lower its rocking axis` 2. In a machine ofthe class described, a burnishing compartment, a burnishing liquid insaid compartment, means for moving articles to be burnished through saidcompartment in submerged relation to said liquid, a frame rockable abouta substantially horizontal axis, means mounting the frame for saidrocking movement, an endless belt burnishing means carried by said frameat one side thereof and adapted to have one run of its belt infrictional engagement with the articles when moving through the liquid,the belt run being lengthwise of said movement, a motor mounted on saidframe for driving said burnishing means and serving partially at leastas a counterbalance therefor, and means connected to the frame andoperable to rockably adjust it and hold it in adjusted position.

3. In a machine of the class described, a burnishing compartment, aburnishing liquid in said compartment, means for successively movingarticles to be burnished through said compartment in submerged relationto said liquid, a rockable frame, means mounting the frame for rockingmovement, two shafts projecting in parallel relation from one side ofsaid frame, pulleys on said shafts, a burnishing belt mounted on saidpulleys for engagement at one side of said pulleys with articles intheir movement through the liquid, the movement of the articles beinglengthwise of a run movement of said belt, drive means for one of saidshafts mounted on .the frame at the opposite side of its rocking axis tosaid pulleys and belt, and means connected to the frame and operable torockably adjust it and hold it in adjusted position.

4. ln a burnishing machine having a compartment containing a burnishingliquid through which an article to be burnished is conveyed in submergedrelation to the liquid, a burnishing belt having a run operating againsta conveyed article lengthwise of its movement and while submerged in theliquid, said belt having on its outer surface a multiplicity of smallpliable burnishing projections and also having pliable diagonallydisposed liquid moving cross flanges in longitudinally spaced relationthereon, and means for guiding and driving the belt.

5. A combination as called for in claim 4 wherein the belt is dividedinto separate sections disposed side by side transversely of the beltand capable of relative movements during a lengthwise run thereofintermediate the guiding means whereby to accommodate each section tothe article surface engaged thereby.

6. In a machine of the classdescribed, a horizontally elongatedburnishing compartment, a burnishing liquid therein, means for conveyingsuccessive work articles into, through and out of said compartmentsubmerged in said liquid and in substantially a linear run, a pluralityof burnishing belts, means for mounting and guiding the belts to haveruns lengthwise of the article movement and in successiveburnishingengagement with conveyed articles, a rockable frame carrying saidmounting means, means mounting said frame for vertical rockingmovements, drive means for each belt carried by said frame and operativeto impart opposite directions of movement to successive belts, and meansfor adjusting said' frame and the parts carried thereby about itsrocking axis.

7. In a machine of the class described, a horizontally elongatedburnishing compartment, a burnishing liquid therein, means for conveyingsuccessive work articles into, through and ont of said compartmentsubmerged in said liquid and in substantially a linear run, a pluralityof burnishing belts, means for mounting and guiding the belts to haveruns lengthwise ot the article movement and in successive burnishingengagement with conveyed articles, and drive means for each beltoperative to impart opposite directions of movement to successive belts.

8. ln a burnishing machine having a burnishing compartment, means toconvey articles through said compartment, means to wet said conveyedarticles with a burnishing liquid, a burnishing belt having a runoperating against a conveyed article lengthwise of its movement andwhile wet with said burnishing liquid, said belt having on its outersurface a multiplicity of small pliable burnishing projections extendingtherefrom, and means for guiding and driving the belt.

9, in a machine of the class described, a horizontal elongatedburnishing compartment, means for conveying successive work articlesinto, through and out of said compartment in a substantially linear run,means to wet said articles with a burnishing liquid, a plurality ofburnishing belts, means for mounting and guiding the belts to have runslengthwise of the article movement and in successive burnishingengagement with wet conveyed articles, and drive means for cach beltoperative to impart opposite directions of movement to successive belts.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 755,937 Richardson et al Mar. 29, 1904 1,387,257 Groner Aug. 9, 19211,578,558 Sheehan Mar. 30, 1926 1,935,660 Norton Nov. 2l, 1933 2,608,803Kinker et al. Sept. 2, 1952

